Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1887-10-20
state the per capita cost of supporting


''Mr. Powell, see, says it is true that
my figures are all right as to nine of
these institutions out of thirteen, but as
to four of them he says 1 am wrong, and
he submits table in support of his ar
gument which was made by Hon. Larkin
McHugh, commissioner of labor statis-
tics, in which he gives higher per capita
cost for these four institutions than L
If Mr.. Powell will take the trouble to
look at the official reports of these in
stitutions he will find the figures 1 have
given exactly correct. I cannot well
take time to read them, but have them
here, and will do so if my statement is
questioned.
'"There is an apparent discrepancy in
the table, but it is only apparent, and is
due to the fact that in these four institu-
tions certain kinds of industries are car
ried on, the profits of which must be de-
Quoted before you can get the net current
expense, but in the table which the board
of state charities made they have neg
lected to do that on the face of the table.
They have given the gross current ex-
pense as to which they agree with Mr..
MeHugh, but both they and McHugh
have not set forth the net expense, as was
done both in getting the per capita cost
under Hoadly's and under my admins
tration. What mean may be indicated
by the fact that, for instance, at the
Boys Industrial Home at Lancaster they
carry on shoemaking and other industries,
the products of which are sold and all the
money realized in that way should be
deducted from the gross current expenses
to find the net current expenses. The
per capita cost set forth by the board of
state charities was so ascertained, and
under Hoadly it was made out upon pre-
cisely the same basis, so that the figures
are absolutely correct, as any one can
learn if he will take the trouble to ex-
anime the records and ascertain for him
self. tell you all this simply by way of
answer to what Gen. Powell had said
Perhaps 1 ought not to call him General
because see the Enquirer has reduced
him to the ranks. Laughter But let
me tell you something now of what has
been accomplished under this admins
tration aside from the savings referred to
in these institutions, which run as high
as $41 per capita at the central asylum,
making a difference of $39, 900 in one year
in that institution alone.
''Let me briefly state something of
what we have been doing in regard to
financial matters. think you are, in
general way, at least familiar with the
fact that when was inaugurated we
found a rather discouraging prospect
financially. One of the first things Gov
ernor Hoadly told me was that we were
on the verge of going to protest. He said
it would be impossible, he thought, for
us to go beyond the 1st of May then next
ensuing without borrowing money, and
when 1 looked around me found it was
only too true The condition of things 1
found reminded me of story they tell of
an old preacher who, after preaching a
rather good sermon one day, concluded on
the strength of it to try to take up con-
tribution to help him along. He called to
one of the brethren sitting in the amen
corner and asked him to pass the hat
around. The good brother took the min
ister's hat, and walked through the aisles
handing it to every one. The good old
minister watched him as he went, and his
heart sank within him as he saw that not
a single cent was dropped into it. AS he
came up the aisle, bringing back the hat,
the old preacher stepped forward and
eagerly grasped it, and said, looking de-
voutedly up to heaven, ''Thank the Lord,
thank the Lord The brother thought
the preacher was of the impression that
some money had been contributed, and
said to him: You are mistaken; there is
not cent in the hat
"T know that, said the preacher.
"'Then why do you thank tho LordF'
asked the brother.
"'Why am thanking the Lord be-
cause got my hat back Laughter and
applause.1
"When looked about and found the
exact financial condition bequeathed to us
by Governor Hoadly's administration, 1
felt like thanking the Lord that we got the
safe back. We found that Governor Hoadly
had been started off with a net cash bal
ance of $500, 900, every dollar of which
was in the treasury. He used all that,
and then used every dollar of the reve-
nues arising during the two years of his
administration, and in addition to that
reached forward, by drawing drafts in
advance on the county treasurers, and in
that way appropriated of the revenues
belonging to me to the amount of $780,,
000 In other words, we were started off
5000, 900 worse off than he, for Governor
Foster left him about $500, 900 cash as
sets, while Governor Hoadly left me a
cash deficit of $65O,0OO, and what was
still worse, he left me unpaid appropria-
ton bills amounting to 1882, ,000."